“JACO” Documentary and Soundtrack Available

The Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo-produced film about groundbreaking electric bassist Jaco Pastorius is now available on DVD and Blu-ray. The film can be downloaded on iTunes on Dec. 1. The soundtrack is available, too.

Jaco’s influence on bass playing cannot be overstated. His work with Weather Report, solo, and as a sideman — most famously, for Joni Mitchell — continues to inspire electric bass players.

The film includes interviews with a variety of bassists — both contemporaries and those he inspired. There’s everyone from funk legend Bootsy Collins and Geddy Lee of Rush to Sting and Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It also tells Jaco’s story, which ended tragically when he died in 1987 at the age of 35.

The two DVD movie set includes the full film, as well as a disc of DVD extras, including 30 previously unseen interviews with musicians like Flea, Joni Mitchell and Carlos Santana. It also features footage used for the August 2015 Jaco’s World tribute show at the Hollywood Bowl.

If you haven’t seen the trailer yet, you must check this out:

And here’s a taste of Rodrigo y Gabriela’s version of “Continuum” from the JACO film soundtrack: